Viking 2

[KE7KPB]

I replaced all of the caps and checked all of the tubes, turned on the filiment switch and everything lights. Pretty. Ok now for the really stupid question. I have the vfo got it redone also. Now I am ready to start working the rig. I have tied in the receiver with the T&R Switch, (Johnson) and dummyload. All dials to 0 throw the plate stitch and no bang. So Far So Good. I have the manual all printed up and is there a cheat sheet on tunning it up or just follow the setup instructions. ( I hope I have the cabling right).
  I do plan on using my IFR 1200s for a signal check. Is there anything else I should be doing and or checking before I throw the switch?

[WA4JK]

Turn on fils, let warm up, place in cw mode. Do the first part of the instructions without Plate. Follow the instructions closely, throw the plate switch and be quick with your adjustments. Pay close attention to grid current. I ran mine after load up at 180-190ma, 5ma grid on am and that gave plenty of head room for modulation.

[w5omr]

Turn on fils, let warm up, place in cw mode. Do the first part of the instructions without Plate. Follow the instructions closely, throw the plate switch and be quick with your adjustments. Pay close attention to grid current. I ran mine after load up at 180-190ma, 5ma grid on am and that gave plenty of head room for modulation.

I'd run the grid drive down until I saw the slightest decrease in plate current.

Aside from that, heard your old Viking II on the air this morning, Jerry.. John/KX5JT had that thing sounding pretty sweet from Lafayette, LA, into the metro Houston area!

btw - congrats on the call sign change. ;-)

[KX5JT]

Thanks Geoff,

I've been getting some great unsolicited audio reports from the Viking II.  Often it goes something like "wow the Viking II's usually are pretty weak on the audio there must have been some modifications to that one because it sounds awesome"

Jerry, nice to meet you and thanks for the smooth transaction!

Jerry I found I was loading and tuning up the Viking to nearly exactly what you said there.  180-200 mils on the plates and 5 ma on the grids.  She looks great on the scope.


KE7PRB, this Viking II is the first plate modulated rig that I ever put on the air, yesterday in fact and although it seemed a bit intimidating looking through the tune up , it's not so bad after a little practice into a dummy load.

Talk about a sinking feeling though when I threw the plate switch for the first time and within a couple minutes smoke poured out.  I thought oh no!  But upon inspection, I found one of the electrolytic filter caps in the LV supply gave up the ghost.  I found a similar one in the shack and replaced it.  Viola!  All is well!

73 John KX5JT

[WA4JK]

Dang... It never gave me the least bit of issues. Glad you found the cap and had a replacement. Yep that VKII is one to keep if you have the space and weight bearing space. It would make a great exciter in a rack. Use the audio and RF in to a pair of 4-250 driving a pair of 4-400 or what ever for full tilt boogie.. Glad you've got it going. Hows the NC-300 working? Also you might need to align the VFO just to have it indicate close to where you are.

[KX5JT]

G'morning!

Yep, actually I am glad the smoke poured out Jerry.  It's actually a great feeling to get in there, find something, repair it and have it work!  Makes the "sinking feeling" just float right back up and then some.    Someone once told me these old boatanchors are a labor of love.

Actually I love the idea of using it as an exciter.  It may very well play that role once I get the building skills and parts collected.

The NC-300 is amazing with AM.  My son Sean commented on how much "warmer" the audio is from it compared to the R75.  I keep dragging him to hamfests and roadtrips like this last one and he gets more and more interested in it all.  He really likes the people he's met through my ham hobby. 

Tell me Jerry, how does one figure out the S-meter reading?  If I turn the RF Gain all the way clockwise, anyone with a decent, frequency quieting AM signal seems to push that needle really close to 60db over s9.  Sometimes I have to turn it down to keep the audio from sounding distorted due to overload.  This thing is HOT!  Just wondering how you would give reports, because nearly everyone would be 60 over!

The Viking 122 VFO... I have yet to get it checked out... I have it hooked up and I see the oscillator meter drop when turning it on much like when switching to a xtal per the book, so I know something is oscillating.... but damn if I can find myself on the receiver where I think it should be .... I haven't really looked at it closely, just a quick test and that's what I found so far... I'll dig a bit more today.

Don't mean to hijack the thread but most of this is on topic. 

[WD8BIL]

Bob: Sounds like you're ready. Just make sure you're on the right plate dip when tuning the final. On the low bands (160, 80 &40) there are places past the fundemental that will double and triple.
Once you get use to it you'll be band changing in no time!!

John: You sounded great last nite on that VK2! Nice signal into Northern Ohio. glad to work you on the maiden voyage.

[WA4JK]

I alwasy just gave a relitave meter reading based on how well they station covered the band noise. You really can not use it like a modern meter, I never let the meter get over 40 over.
The VFO should zero beat at about 3870 for 3880 I think. Just place it in cw nad drop down until it pegs the NC300. It will do that as long as you have it buffered and osc set right with grid of 5ma. It is off but very usable. Like I said a alignment is needed, I did not have any equipment in the trailer to do so.
Hang on the VKII, you'll never find another one as good.

[KE7KPB]

Thanks for the info, I did hit the plate switch for just a second and no bank or smoke so I think the recap went well. Now I need to run 220vac to my shop. All I have is 110vac and that is not enough to run my Henry 2K
with the equipment. I bought the Henry for 250.00 and this has been already had the soft start pack and new peter dahl transformers installed and this darn thing must weigh in at 300 lbs. Or at least that what it felt like when it took 2 guys to move it. I got on the Montana Section Net and I mentioned that I was restoring a 1950s ham station and some of the guys sneered at me for trying to run on the OLD AM Band. Wow I could not believe that some guys actually got upset that I would go back to equipment that you have to operate and not just throw a switch or turn a knob to run. Well I am having a blast with it.
KE7KPB

[w3jn]

Wow I could not believe that some guys actually got upset that I would go back to equipment that you have to operate and not just throw a switch or turn a knob to run. Well I am having a blast with it.
KE7KPB

Ignore the haters and have fun - that's what ham radio's all about!

[kg8lb]

I got on the Montana Section Net and I mentioned that I was restoring a 1950s ham station and some of the guys sneered at me for trying to run on the OLD AM Band. Wow I could not believe that some guys actually got upset that I would go back to equipment that you have to operate and not just throw a switch or turn a knob to run.

  AM Envy ! A common affliction amongst the appliance operators. Just get used to it. The fun and sense of accomplishment outweighs the attitudes and comments from the nattering naybobs of the SomethingStoreBought hoards.
 The poor guys get here from channel 19 thinking SSB is a move up. They go into deepest denial when confronted with the knowledgable bunch that make up the AM community.
 

[w5omr]

The Viking 122 VFO... I have yet to get it checked out... I have it hooked up and I see the oscillator meter drop when turning it on much like when switching to a xtal per the book, so I know something is oscillating.... but damn if I can find myself on the receiver where I think it should be .... I haven't really looked at it closely, just a quick test and that's what I found so far... I'll dig a bit more today.

Those old VFO's sometimes need realignment after 50 years or so (damn, can't they build anything to -last- anymore?  ), but typically they're gonna be close enough. 
Make sure you're on the right band (switch positions are Plate Off, 160/80/40, 40/20/15/10 and 11), since (I think) you've got a crystal in there for 3.880, tune up the grid as previously commented on the crystal, find yourself on the receiver, then switch to crystal position 0 (that's where the VFO is connected) and roll the VFO somewhere between 3.85 and 3.9.  If you don't find it, then expand your search parameters. You might have to travel between one end of the dial to the other.  Somewhere in there, you should hear the carrier sweep across the receiver.  Sometimes this is easier achieved in CW mode on the receiver.  Verify by switching back and forth on the Viking II, from CW to Phone, to make sure it's -your- signal you're hearing.

Don't mean to hijack the thread but most of this is on topic. 

hey, we're talking about Viking II's, right? ;-)

[KX5JT]

Yep, the VFO works and is really stable.  I just absolutely cannot rely on what the dial says, except that I know I'm on the right band.    I just have to spot myself on the R75 so I can really know what frequency I'm on, then I can find the freq on the NC300.

[WA4JK]

The 300 is pretty close, you'll have to adjust the vernier dial a little. Have you tried the 10kc filter yet??? Buddy you can hear really well and in the getto a littlle to much.

[KX5JT]

Jerry I have put the NC-300 in all of it's different positions.  I just choose whichever position allows the highest fidelity with the lowest qrm.  It differs depending on how active the area around the frequency is.   

[K9PNP]

The V2 sounded good last Sunday.  40 over here.  I knew you would get used to the NC-300.

[kg8lb]

 Sounds like you are quite ready to calibrate the VFO. Just follow the basic instructions and use your R-75 for freq spotting. Really a snap and you will learn to easily rely on the dial readings.

[WA4JK]

The nc-300 slectivity and filtering as well as phase have some interaction. Study the manual and play with it and you'll hit'er just right.

[KX5JT]

Sounds like you are quite ready to calibrate the VFO. Just follow the basic instructions and use your R-75 for freq spotting. Really a snap and you will learn to easily rely on the dial readings.

Yep I think I will start reading up on that in the manual tonight.

[KE7KPB]

Ok, an update on the Vic2. Powered up the transmitter and I didn't turn on the plate switch but tried to see any meter movement and nothing. Time to check for voltages. O, BTW was there any information on what would happen if I got the 807 plate caps on the wrong tube???
Bob.

[KA0HCP]

Sure, instead of AM you would be outputting MA!   

[KX5JT]

AM - with plate caps correct



MA - with plate caps reveresed

[KX5JT]

Seriously though in the Viking I manual under "phone operation", it says "if a squeal is heard, then reverse the plate caps on the 807's" 

I do not see that statement in the Viking II manual, but I would think it's a similar concept.

[WA1GFZ]

Stock VII does not have negative feedback so the modulator will function in either phase.

[KX5JT]

Stock VII does not have negative feedback so the modulator will function in either phase.

That makes a lot of sense!